Tip the Scales
by iHeartYou13
Summary: After the bomb goes off. Just adding my story to the evergrowing fabulous ones out there! SAWYER/JULIET!
1. Chapter 1

OKAY so I've gone AWOL for like, ever, but I promise I'm trying to finish up my other stories; I'm also SO broken up about the season finale I can't even tell you. Juliet is TOTALLY alive. LOL that's my little bit of hope to cling to until the next season starts.

anyway, reviews are love! and if you have a need to write some kind of end to this fic, let me know and you can tell me what you want to write and I'll give you credit, but I think I'm done this one, it's a four part fic, that's it. =]

Tip the Scales

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"_If I never meet you, then I never have to lose you."_

So they'd done it. She'd done it. Everything had disappeared in a flash of white and dust.

The world was set right on its axis, time spinning and flowing as it should.

He'd woken up with a headache and a body covered in cuts and scars in a bedroom he'd never seen before. He didn't know where he was.

He just wanted to know how he could get to her.

It took 3 days to remember everything, the Island, the other survivors, Dharmaville. It was funny, it had only taken him 3 seconds to remember her.

A week later he was standing in a park in a suburb of Miami, watching a little boy run around a jungle gym as his mother and aunt looked on.

As he watched from the safety of the shade of a tree, he felt his fingers ache to touch her, to run through her hair, over her face. His heart hurt for the first true time.

But he couldn't help but remember her words to him. That long lifetime ago that also somehow seemed like 5 minutes had passed between then and now.

_If I never meet you, then I never have to lose you._

This one sentence stopped him every time. He'd been here three times and had yet to move from the patch of shade across the grass to her.

He argued with himself constantly; she loved him, she would want him, but if he ever had to leave...

Today the outcome was different, the scales tipped to the other side. He wasn't going anywhere. Not like he had much to come back to anyhow.

One foot stepped out from the shade, the sun slicing the black scuffed shoe in half; part light, part dark.

What if she didn't remember him? He didn't exactly know if he was the only one remembering things. For all he knew, they were the only two actually off that God forsaken island.

And then she moved.

Her blonde hair glowing in the mid afternoon sun, her thin blue shirt and dark jeans hugging her the way he needed to. Her face turned to find her nephew sneaking up behind her and he caught her flash of pale skin, a hint of blue eyes.

A laugh echoes across the distance to him and it sounded so much like hers that it was music to his ears, a cool compress over sunburn. The ache in him increased and his heart skipped a beat.

A fierce need gripped him and he pushed his other foot forward, his face sliding into the sunlight.

He caught sight of the woman next to her, rich brown hair and laughing brown eyes and a silver bracelet, a colourful scarf around her wrist.

She had her sister now. She found her family again.

_I've been trying to get off of this island for more than three years, and now I've got my chance. I'm going to leave._

He would remind her of the island, her prison. He was going to remind her of the hell she went through all that time every time she looked at him. A half step back.

She was looking forward again. She'd never noticed him. And she never would if he stayed safely away from her. She'd been broken when he found her, he knew that now, and here she would be put back together.

But not by him.

With a sigh full of grief and defeat, he turned and walked away, forcing one foot in front of the other. He didn't look back.

So he didn't notice when she did.

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leave your comments at the beep...BEEEEP!

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	2. Chapter 2

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Tip the Scales

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"_Just give me two weeks. That's all I'm asking."_

"_Alright, two weeks."_

She closed her eyes and tried to relax. Almost two weeks. She'd woken up almost two weeks, painted with bruises and covered in cuts and scrapes. Her sister was crying over her hospital bed and a little boy with dirty blonde hair was watching her carefully.

She couldn't remember anything. Where she was, how she'd gotten there.

It took 2 days for it all to sink in again and since then she'd wished it hadn't.

Every time she closed her eyes all she saw were flashes of people dying, her hands covered in blood and him. Him so close to her it ached and felt good.

Now her eyes slid open again, unable to bear the images for longer than a few moments.

Her sister was so relieved to have her turn up after almost 7 years that she didn't notice her little sister wasn't sleeping.

She watched him run around the park, strong legs cutting through the fake grass and feet displaced when he tried to run through the sand. This just made it worse.

Now she'd had to add this scene to her nightmares; this little golden boy running through the jungle with her.

She needed to find him. He was the only one who could make it better. She didn't even know where to start looking, if she even had the strength.

She loved him so much. The thought of him; she could almost smell him, feel his skin and muscles against her own. She could picture those dimples and that grin and that damned wonderful southern drawl.

_Just give me two weeks. That's all I'm asking._

_Alright, two weeks._

Those weeks turned into months, months into years, and now she wished she had forever.

She turned her head she the little boy tried to move around her stealthily, and she didn't have the heart to put too much thought into the fact nobody would be able to sneak up on her again.

There was someone dark by the tree behind them, several metres away, but she didn't notice much else; all she noticed were the vague now, she didn't want the detail.

Except her sister, she thought, the man forgotten, her sister she studied in detail every chance she got; the freckle, the scar, the colour of her eyes, her smile, everything.

_And you would stay with me forever if I let you, and that is why I will always love you._

Her heart broke that much more, if it was possible, and tracked the little boy as he darted back into the sand, diving around for his shovel and pail. Her sister was laughing and calling to him from next to her.

Something tugged her mind, her memory. She turned her head back to the tree, looking at it directly, just in time to see a man with shaggy, dirty blonde hair slump into a car.

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plz? review plz? kthx!


	3. Chapter 3

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Tip the Scales

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Sawyer stared out the window at the row of cars lined along the street leading into the park as the cab slid to a stop at the light.

His shoulders hang heavy and his heart heavier. The sun was too bright and the sky too blue for him now.

"Where to buddy?"

He had no idea. He hadn't gotten this far; in fact, he hadn't been thinking in this direction period.

"Buddy, at least pick a direction,"

"Lemme think, cool your jets," Sawyer grumbled, pulling at this sluggish brain. He ran a hand through his hair and looked up to eye the street signs through the windshield. He caught a glimpse of something in the rear view mirror.

In a half second the cab door was open and he was out, running towards the figure sprinting towards him, screaming his name.

Juliet had seen his back, those shoulders, that hair and she'd stumbled from the bench, tearing off across the grass after the cab he'd just folded into.

Halfway she felt her legs falling into that rhythm, her legs pumping easily, her hair flying behind her, arms pushing her forward.

Finally, her lungs and voice seemed to work.

"James!" it was a scream, a desperate, sad scream that echoed across the park; she was offhandedly thankful there weren't took many people in the park at two in the afternoon on a Wednesday.

"Stop! James!"

The cab stopped at the red light and she could see his arm come up to run through his hair.

"James!"

Suddenly he was out, his face registering shock before he was running at her two, face determined.

And then she _there_ and he was _there_ too. Their bodies crashed together so hard Juliet's bruises screamed and Sawyer's cuts chaffed, but they didn't care.

They were breathless, hands grabbing at each other, pulling the other close and pressing their faces into necks and hair.

Sawyer eased Juliet back, pushed hair from her face, trailed fingertips across her cheek, her trembling bottom lip, and looked into those eyes, those big blue Bambi eyes and pressed his lips to hers, immediately sliding his tongue along hers, drowning in her taste.

She was happy to do the same. Eventually they noticed the cab was gone and Rachel was wandering over with Julian.

Juliet brought her hands up to cup his stubbly face with a watery grin, tears still rolling down her flushed cheeks.

He was stroking her waist with roughened thumbs, always gentle on her.

"Uh, Jules? Who's this?" Rachel held Julian's hand and smiled a little in confusion at her sister, happier than she'd ever seen the other woman.

Sawyer pulled Juliet into a tight hug, head nestled against his neck when her face began to crumble again. He noticed the cuts on her face, the bruises colouring her skin, the dark circles partially hidden by makeup.

"I'm Sawyer," he said, his voice nearly breaking. He held Juliet, on arm around her shoulders, the other around her back, fingers splayed to feel as much as he could.

Her own hands were trapped between their bodies, fingers twisted in his shirt.

"Oh, were you..." Rachel hesitated before looking him in the eye. "You were on the Island too."

Sawyer felt Juliet recoil as if the word were a physical thing that would strike out and hit her.

"Yeah."

Juliet hiccupped and turned her face a little to speak. "His name is James,"

Rachel cracked a grin and Juliet chuckled a teary chuckle. A yawn forced its way between her lips.

Car? Sawyer mouthed to Rachel. He felt 100% better with Juliet in his arms, all his healing taken care of as long as she didn't ever leave his arms; now he would take care of her.

Rachel nodded with a warm and trusting smile and led him across the lot to the mini van.

Juliet fell asleep, her head on Sawyer's shoulder in the car, hand gripping his and his gripping hers, all the way back to the apartment.

As they arrived, Julian having chattered the whole way back to the fun new stranger he got to talk to, Sawyer didn't let Rachel wake her sister. Instead he eased her out of the car and into his arms, one arm under her knees, the other around her back.

Rachel lifted one of Juliet's limp arms to wrap around Sawyer's neck for support and settled the other across her stomach.

They made the journey up the stairs where Rachel pointed Sawyer to Juliet's room, satisfied with the gentle way he held her sister.

When he didn't come out a few minutes later, she sat Julian down with his books and checked in on them.

Sawyer was lying on his side, back to the door, facing Juliet who lay dead to the world on her back.

She watched as Sawyer just gazed at her, tears coming to her eyes at the love in his. He stroked a hand comfortingly over her stomach as she slept, the other supporting his head. Every now and then he would smooth a hand over her face or hair or ear.

After a few minutes, Rachel knocked softly. Sawyer turned over carefully.

"Sorry, I guess you don't want a strange man in your house, just tell her-,"

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere; this is the first good sleep she's had in two weeks." Rachel moved into the room a step and leaned on the door frame.

"She thinks I don't notice; she's my little sister. Obviously you're not a stranger if she's letting you take care of her like this,"

Sawyer turned back to Juliet who frowned in her sleep. He passed a hand over her forehead and whispered something to her and Juliet curled towards him, tucking herself into his arms.

"I'll leave you two to rest. I'll have dinner ready by 6; I hope you like barbeque." Rachel smiled.

Sawyer nodded and thanked her before his own eyes began sliding shut.

Rachel shook her head with a smile and crossed the room to yank her sister's shoes off, pausing and grimacing before doing the same to Sawyer's.

She left them in peace and closed the door quietly.

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one more!


	4. Chapter 4

here's number 4! the final chapter! like i said, if anyone wants to continue or just write an epilogue or something, that's cool, just let me know and send it to me and i'll post it and give you credit!

enjoy guys and thanks so much for all your continued support!! =D

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Tip the Scales

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Needless to say they slept through dinner, instead waking in the middle of the night, when the home was quiet and Rachel and Julian were asleep. They could smell the dinner that had been saved for them, but couldn't bring themselves to get up.

Sawyer looked down at her as she looked up at him, smiles dancing on their faces.

"Hey there Sunshine," he whispered.

She grinned wider and stretched a little, settled. "Hello James,"

There was peaceful silence again until Sawyer slid a hand over her hip, intending to draw her closer.

"Ah," she winced, jerking a little.

Sawyer frowned and sat up, reaching for her jeans.

"It's nothing, just a bruise," Juliet whispered, stopping him.

Sawyer just glared at her before evading her fingers and gently undoing the button. The zipper followed and he carefully slid the top of her jeans down a little to study the angry bruises around her hips and waist.

He fingered them, trailing a finger along the line of black, blue and purple.

"From the chains," Juliet said quietly.

He pushed her t-shirt up next and saw the bruises there too; dark and ugly against her pale skin.

"They're everywhere James, its okay," Juliet said. Sawyer did her jeans back up but left her shift scrunched up against her chest. His warm settled over her bare stomach.

"I love you so much,"

Juliet grinned at him, lifting a hand to his face. "I love you too."

"So I guess this means we _are _meant to be together," Sawyer drawled in that smooth southern accent.

Juliet sighed and rolled her eyes. "As long as you don't go anywhere."

He kissed her deep and slow until he was sure she was reassured. "I'm not goin' anywhere,"

Juliet smiled up at him.

"Really, your sister told me as much. I think she might even try to kill me if I do,"

She laughed and he grinned, flashing his dimples.

Juliet became serious again. "But you're not leaving, are you?"

Sawyer pressed a kiss to her forehead before pulling her into his arms completely. "Try and get me to go."

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As the sun rose, Sawyer reluctantly slipped out of bed to the sounds of cartoons playing from the living room.

Juliet's room had no bathroom so he had to dart into the kitchen where Rachel was just making coffee for herself as Julian sat inches from the TV screen, eyes glued to some kind of yellow talking sponge and a fat pinkish purple starfish.

"Hey, morning James." Rachel greeted, taking a sip of coffee. "How'd you sleep?"

Sawyer felt the weight of being away from Juliet, but if he looked over his shoulder, he could see her sock clad feet on the bed.

"Better than I have in a while. Mind if I use the bathroom?"

Rachel swallowed and looked him in the eye. "Oh, we don't have one."

Sawyer just stared, not quite believing it. "Excuse me?"

Rachel's face split into a grin. "It's down the hall, second on the right. I'll keep her company,"

Sawyer shook his head and chuckled a little, moving off down the hall and watching Rachel set her coffee down before going into Juliet's room.

Rachel carefully settled onto the bed next to her little sister, face close to the other woman's. She pulled Juliet's shirt down, unable to bear the bruises marring the skin.

Lifting a bright purple nail polished finger, she stroked it over Juliet's cheek, carefully and lightly, barely touching the skin. Juliet stirred a little but didn't wake up.

Rachel felt the sun from the window warming her skin and sighed softly, stroking the hand curled under Juliet's cheek.

Juliet jerked a little before her eyes opened to find her sister's big brown eyes. Where was the green?

Rachel saw the fear and panic in Juliet's eyes begin to surface and whispered. "He's in the bathroom. Apparently he's very gullible."

Juliet relaxed and smiled a little, linking a finger with Rachel's. "What did you do?"

Rachel chuckled. "Told him there was no bathroom. It's amazing what deadpanning can do for you,"

Juliet laughed now as well.

_We were building a runway. For what? The aliens._

Rachel smiled a gentle big-sister smile. "You're laughing."

Juliet looked at her sister. "Yeah. It's strange what the right guy does. When you finally find him."

"Speaking of, I think he got lost."

Juliet smiled and let Rachel pull her up and off the bed.

They quietly walked out of the bedroom when they heard Julian talking.

"No no, that's _SpongeBob_, Uncle James and the star fish is _Patrick_." The patronizing voice of a child.

"Why is Patrick the only guy who's name don't match his species?"

"What?" the curious voice of a little boy.

"Well, SpongeBob is a talking sponge, Squidward is a squid, Mr. Krabs is a crab..."

"But Sandy is a squirrel and Pearl is a whale." Julian said matter of factly.

There was silence and Juliet and Rachel looked at each other before their faces crumpled into grins.

"This show don't make no sense," Sawyer finally grumbled. Julian laughed and they heard shuffling.

They came around the corner to find Julian a good distance back from the TV and Sawyer on the couch, watching with interest as SpongeBob and Patrick jumped around catching little see-through jellyfish.

"Enjoying Julian's cartoons are you James?" Juliet said finally, immediately folding herself, smirk and all, into Sawyer's open arms.

Sawyer grinned back. "Well of course,"

"Found the bathroom okay?" Rachel asked with a snort and a laugh.

Sawyer just shook his head and shot her a look. "You know, you and your sister are eerily alike."

Juliet smiled. "I know."

She became serious. "I thought you were gone this morning, Rachel was where you were supposed to be," she spoke low and just to him, head tucked into the space between shoulder and ear.

Sawyer squeezed her shoulders and lifted her hand and kissed her bare (for now) ring finger. "I'm not goin' anywhere. You and me, we're stuck together now."

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YAY success!!

OH i should mention i pretty used a scene from Practical Magic with Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman for the interaction between Juliet and Rachel because it was just, SO PERFECT, and if you watch the movie, you'll see the scene in there.

anyway THANKS EVERYONE FOR THE REVIEWS AND COMMENTS! its always perfect to have people respond to your work!

thanks again!

3


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